Sanctuary Paradise

Chapter 816 Arrival
Sanctuary Paradise, the training ground of the Lai Lai Cult.

boom--! !

A deafening clang of blades, as if it could cleave the entire world in two, exploded from the training space, which was simulated as a wilderness. On the ground, a huge, dark slash, as deep as an abyss, could be seen spreading out from the entrance of the training space, cutting all the way to the end of this space, which was several thousand meters long.

[WARNING: The current training space has been severely damaged and a self-repair process will be initiated soon! Estimated repair time: 10 minutes!]

A chilling warning sounded, and within the gradually collapsing training space that was being used to process data, the Deathbringer, who was maintaining a slashing stance, opened his eyes. He stared at the huge, pitch-black slash mark that had cleaved the entire space in two. The dark, ghostly death aura emanating from his body gradually receded back into his scabbard, and the flickering blue flames in his pupils quickly extinguished under his control.

"Too...too amazing! Lord Deathbearer! To be able to unleash such a terrifying strike! I am utterly in awe!"

As the executioner sheathed his blade, Fabu, who had been watching the whole thing, immediately scurried over, bringing the prepared tea and snacks to the other man's side while smacking his jaw and flattering him like a little follower.

"not enough."

Faced with Fabu's flattery, the Death Keeper simply closed his eyes again with an indifferent expression, recalling the details and feelings of the stab just now in his mind, and spoke as if to himself, which made Fabu take aback.

"If that's all, it's only enough to break through, far from enough to defeat them."

As the cold, indifferent words fell, in the empty training ground, the Deathbringer closed his eyes and suddenly drew the black katana hanging at his waist. As if he had seen some imaginary opponent, he began to try out one move after another in the training ground as if no one else was there. The sharpness emanating from his movements even made Fabu, who was watching from the side, shiver.

'This is terrifying; the thoughts of the Death Keeper are far too difficult to understand…'

They were both satisfied. Sometimes the other person would enthusiastically accompany their little master, Cynthia, shopping and being affectionate, but other times, like now, they would be like a man possessed, tirelessly spending the whole day practicing in the training field.

Zheng——! !

On the training field, the clanging of blades echoed continuously, and the black-haired woman, exuding a deathly aura, swung her blade tirelessly, like a cold, emotionless machine, focusing intently on her moves.

Unlike Daoji, as a master of swordsmanship, the Death-Holder doesn't have much of a feeling about the concept of a sword itself. To her, a sword or a knife is nothing more than a weapon used to achieve her own goals.

However, if you incorporate the desire to be a master of technique into it, then it's a different story.

Or rather, for her, who could easily achieve what ordinary people could not reach, only when she wielded a sword and fought someone could she truly experience the joy of victory that was forgotten deep within her body because of her own overwhelming power!

……

The Sacred Paradise, the Golden Avenue.

"Ah~ Boss, you've been coming here a lot lately, haven't you? Didn't I already tell you I don't have the information you're looking for?!"

"In the end, why do you think that information like who the supreme leader of the Lai Lai Cult has come into contact with is something a nobody like me, Karami, would know?"

A lazy, resentful grumbling voice rang out from a deserted, secluded shop. Inside the shop, which was decorated with all sorts of strange and unusual ornaments, a mature woman with a large hat adorned with a purple iris on her forehead yawned and complained sleepily to the blond youth in front of her.

"I was just using you to test them out. Since that Golden Age Star didn't say much, it means this direction is wrong, or perhaps..."

Was his action... also part of the other side's plan?
"The brilliance of the Golden Age... it's a monster whose very name gives you a headache."

The blond youth muttered to himself, sighed softly, and habitually rubbed his temples, while the mature woman in the large hat, who looked drowsy, yawned and said in surprise:

"Well~ speaking of which, it's quite surprising that you, BOSS, care so much about people other than Miss Tian'er. Could it be that you actually have some kind of special fetish?"

"Stop talking nonsense, or I'll dock three more months' worth of performance bonuses. And to be honest, I didn't want to get involved in this mess, since there are just too many uncertainties, but how should I put it..."

As the blond youth spoke, his hand, which had been gently rubbing his temples, unconsciously lowered. He then glanced out of the corner of his eye at the stack of newspapers on the counter beside him, lowered his eyes, looked up at the pale golden sky outside the shop, and murmured:

"Just consider it that I've been stuck with a terrible captain who's hard to trust?"

……

Sanctuary Paradise, Private Room.

"Have they already left...?"

Bright sunlight streamed down from the ceiling. Inside the room, the white-haired youth, who had just finished his morning exercise and was preparing to rest for a while before heading to the meeting place of the Church of Justice, glanced at the name on the contact list that had changed to "Expedition in Progress." His eyes flickered slightly, revealing a hint of regret.

Unfortunately, his current strength is still too weak; otherwise, he could have joined forces with his opponent in battle...

[Notice (Sanctuary Paradise): Arbitrator No. 103892, according to the Expedition World Recruitment Regulations, you will participate in the 599th Small Expedition as a Tier 3 Arbitrator after the next world's progress is completed, as part of the second batch of recruits. Please prepare for the expedition!]

"Eh?!"

Suddenly, a cold announcement rang out, startling the white-haired boy. His eyes widened, and his breathing became rapid.

The second batch of expedition recruitment.

According to his understanding, this should be a batch that only contractors at the very top of the elite tier... or even those who have reached the threshold of the extra-elite tier are qualified to participate in...

Is it because of the Arbitrator's status? No, that's not right. According to Brother Black Sword and Senior Ah Heng, Paradise wouldn't go easy on them in this kind of selection, which means...

"Have I... become stronger too?"

Realizing the truth, the white-haired boy murmured, looking at the figure and face in the dressing mirror. Although slightly thin, it was much more muscular and resolute than he remembered, even feeling somewhat unfamiliar to him. He subconsciously touched his face, which was beginning to show definition through exercise, and a myriad of complex feelings welled up in his heart, ultimately settling into one:
Moving forward.

Although he still can't reach her, there's no doubt that he's constantly getting closer to her!

In an instant, an indescribable surge of emotion welled up in the white-haired boy's chest and mind, gradually making his gaze brighter and more determined.

That's not wrong!

His efforts were not in vain!
If he can continue to persevere like this, one day, even someone like him who needs to rely on the other person for salvation will surely be able to…

[Notification: You have a new message notification. Sender: Star Girl (Sanctuary Paradise)]

Inside the room, the white-haired youth stared intently at his reflection in the mirror. Just then, a cold message notification interrupted his thoughts, and when he saw the sender's name, his eyelids twitched slightly:
……

Star Girl: "I've received the second batch of expedition recruitment. I wonder how things are going on your end, Argo? I heard from the seniors in the cult that it's best to form a five-person team before embarking on an expedition. I wonder if you have any teammates you like yet, Argo?"

……

Miss Star Girl was recruited too? Wait, given this situation, could it be...?!

Gazing at the content on the communication channel, the white-haired boy's eyelids twitched at first, then he suddenly realized something, his heart skipped a beat, and then...

[Notification: You have a new message notification. Sender: Saintess (Sanctuary Paradise)]

[Notification: You have a new message notification. Sender: Soul Moon (Reincarnation Paradise)]

[Notification: You have a new message notification. Sender: Sia (Death Paradise)]

[Notification: You have a new message notification. Sender: Star Maiden (Sanctuary Paradise)] ...

Saintess: "Mr. Argo, I just received a recruitment notice for the expedition, so I have a favor to ask..."

Soul Moon: "I heard you've gotten quite strong lately? The second round of expedition recruitment has just begun; I hope your strength won't disappoint me then..."

Shia: "Brother Argo, I have great news for you! Just now, I was successfully selected for the second batch of expedition recruitment! With your strength, Brother Argo, you should be among the selected candidates, right? Speaking of which, I haven't seen you since the last Arbiter assessment..."

Star Maiden: "I know that some things from the last world caused you some misunderstandings, Argo, so once the expedition begins..."

……

Ding! Ding! Ding! Ding...!

Inside the room, message notifications, like death knells, kept ringing in the white-haired youth's mind. As he stared at the messages popping up one after another on the communication channel, all saying the same thing, the excitement he had felt from the recruitment announcement had vanished, replaced by an increasingly pale face, as if he had seen his own death approaching.

……

Sanctuary Paradise, somewhere.

"Ah sneeze!!!"

A loud sneeze rang out from the deserted, secluded restaurant. In the lobby on the first floor, a young man with a bulge on his forehead that seemed to have been enhanced with a pale yellow light spun around his head and sneezed so hard that he almost fell off his chair.

"Hmm? Ah Dong, why are you sneezing again? Have you been cursed by someone again?"

"Well, how could that be? I'm a legitimate employee of the amusement park now. Those guys who like to curse people haven't been able to come knocking on my door for ages!"

"I think it's better for you, Master, not to jinx things. Every time you say something like that, something bad is bound to happen soon after."

"I said, can you find another place to talk nonsense? This is my restaurant, not your base."

"Relax, relax, our park treats its employees very well. Even small fry like us who don't really stand out can have a great time in the park as long as we do our jobs well..."

[Notice (Sanctuary Paradise): Employees with notice numbers 8903892, 89…, …, …95, and 7093848, according to the Expedition World Recruitment Regulations, your current "Let's Eat First" employee team will be recruited as part of the second batch of participants. You will be assigned as support staff to participate in the 599th Small Expedition after the next world's progress is completed. Please prepare for the expedition!]

"..."

"Meow…?"

"Master..."

"I feel like the worst thing I ever did in my life was teaming up with you four bastards."

"Hmm, do you think... it's too late for us to go back to being rule-breakers now?"

……

The void, the stars of all races.

"Sir, your newspaper."

"OK, thanks."

The tranquil aroma of coffee wafted through the elegantly furnished café. At a seat with a panoramic view near the window, a young man in a white suit smiled as he accepted a newspaper. After savoring a sip of the rich white coffee brewed in the only 'Eternal' café in the void, he leisurely began to peruse the newspaper.
Breaking News! The Lord of Watchtower Paradise is about to embark on his 599th small-scale expedition! Major factions are currently deciding on the participants!

The eye-catching words were etched on the newspaper bearing the emblem of the Sacred Paradise. Inside the café, a young man in a white suit, quietly enjoying the morning light, lowered his eyes and silently flipped through the newspaper in his hands. After a good ten minutes, he finally looked up at the white-robed scholar who had gone unnoticed by anyone and spoke:

"A supreme peak expert coming to find a mere rule-breaker like me? Are they planning to arrest me and use me to pay off their debts?"

"I just came to take a look."

"Heh, do you think I'd believe that?"

"Do me a favor, and this is yours."

The scholar in white robes spoke calmly, placing something on the table. The young man in white suit, seeing this, subtly shifted his gaze, then chuckled softly.
“Interesting. I suddenly feel a little sorry for those two fledglings you took a liking to.”

"answer."

"Of course I'll help. After all... I also want to see what kind of script a guy like you can write for his own purposes."

The young man in the white suit smiled slightly as he spoke, clearing the table of things. He then took out an old notebook from his pocket that appeared unremarkable, letting the pages turn on their own. Finally, the notebook stopped abruptly on a blank page, and before the eyes of both the young man in the white suit and the scholar in the white robe, a line of small, weighty words appeared:
"First, the story begins here—"

……

[Notification: Teleportation complete. The Pioneer has arrived at the Tier 3 World Fortress, Andusia!]

When Xin Lailai opened her eyes again, the first thing she felt was the intense dizziness unique to long-distance teleportation, a familiar scent, and a mechanical notification sound that was remarkably similar to the electronic voice in the Lailai Cult training ground:

[Notification: The "Spatial Oscillation Slow-Release Spray" for Pioneer Teleportation Pod No. 003 has been fully released. The teleporter has recovered from the "Spatial Oscillation" state and the pod will open shortly!]

Wait, he remembered, isn't this the taste of the space-vibration 'special effect drug' he concocted using the formula mentioned by Boss 83203? So this thing has already been put into official use…

[Notification: Preparation complete, external defense procedures deactivated, hatch opening...!]

Om-! !

Almost as soon as she realized where the familiar scent was coming from, a slightly muffled buzzing sound suddenly came from beside Xin Lailai's ears. The silver-white cabin in front of her suddenly opened to the sides amidst a series of mechanical sounds, revealing the scene outside in the dim light:

That was... a starry sky.

No, to be precise, it's a painting unfolding against the backdrop of the starry sky.

Thousands of silver-white warships moved in unison through the dark interstellar space, patrolling along the edge of the enormous star ring that he could only glimpse from a corner of his view, like moving silver-white swords.

The dazzling aurora emitted by the planetary engines rippled across the starry sky in waves, merging with the starlight that traveled across vast distances measured in light-years in the interstellar background, painting a dreamlike ocean against the dark night sky.

Is this... the scene seen from the World Fortress?

Xin Lailai gazed at the vast scene before her, momentarily lost in thought, until a gentle and melodious female voice rang out:

"Welcome to Andusia Fortress, Lord Blacksword."

……

(End of this chapter)